Sportsupdated 59m ago2 min read
Archive photo · 6 March 2026Kimi Antonelli Becomes Youngest Formula 1 World Champion After Mexico City Third-Place Finish
“When it became clear that Antonelli’s championship victory was inevitable, commentators shifted their attention to the brewing feud”
“That was a secondary story on the day Antonelli made history, smashing Sebastian Vettel's previous record”
Photo: Yu Chu Chin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion at age 20. He sealed the title by finishing third in the Mexican Grand Prix.
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Antonelli crowned in Mexico
Kimi Antonelli clinched his first Formula 1 world title by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in Formula 1 history.
Antonelli, who was 20 years and 68 days old, finished behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after a grand prix interrupted by a red flag that led to a 25-lap sprint to the finish.
Antonelli broke Sebastian Vettel's previous record for being the youngest champion by three years and 67 days, and he also became the first Italian to win the F1 title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Antonelli told the BBC, "Thank you so much. We did it. We did it."
Max Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton, as Verstappen claimed his third victory of the year and the sixth in Mexico.
Ferrari tensions and penalties
The BBC described tensions at Ferrari as Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc came close to boiling over, with Leclerc's first-lap aggression leading to controversy and unhappiness at the team. The BBC reported that Hamilton ended the day frustrated, and it said Hamilton "ended the day frustrated and feeling a win had slipped through his fingers" as a consequence of Leclerc's aggression on the first lap. The race narrative also included a 5-second penalty for Leclerc for gaining an advantage by leaving the track, while George Russell received a 10-second penalty for an incident with Isack Hadjar.
The BBC said a red flag followed Valtteri Bottas' crash on lap 45 after his front suspension failed under braking for Turn One, and it added that the race was stopped when it became clear how long it was going to take to repair the barriers. Motorsport.com said Antonelli needed to finish at least ninth at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to claim his maiden title, and it quoted Antonelli saying, "It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible."
What comes next in 2026
With four races remaining in the season, Antonelli secured the title while Verstappen won in Mexico and Hamilton finished second, leaving the fight for second in the drivers' standings still open.
“I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened.”
Motorsport.com said Antonelli had built a 123-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell heading into the Mexican Grand Prix, and it said the title was secured with four rounds remaining.
Cadena SER said Antonelli turned 20 on August 25 and that he only needed to finish ninth in Mexico, after which he ultimately finished third.
The BBC said Antonelli went into the race knowing that effectively he only had to stay out of trouble to ensure he secured the title, and it added that the only way he could not do so was if Russell or Hamilton won the race.
Motorsport.com framed Antonelli's next phase as a continuing season-long battle for positions, while it quoted Antonelli saying, "I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened."